BALTEK®

Natural, renewable resource - balsa wood

BALTEK® is the only structural core material made of a natural, renewable resource – balsa wood. The balsa tree grows fast, has low to medium density, and best-in-class weight-specific mechanical properties. It is the first carbon neutral core material in the world.

We own and manage several thousand hectares of FSC®-certified balsa wood plantations in Ecuador (FSC-C019065) and Papua New Guinea (FSC-C125018) - that's our commitment to watch out for virgin rainforest.

Certificates for our FSC®-certified plantations
Certificates for our FSC®-certified plantations


BALTEK® SBC & SB are EPD verified - read more here.

Availability and Plantations

Managing over 13.000 ha of FSC®-certified plantations in two independent world regions, we ensure a continuous global supply to industrial customers at any time.

This includes the production control from selecting the best seeds, growing perfect seedlings to the tree in Ecuador and Papua New Guinea with chain of custody certifications, making it more easy to adjust the balsa supply to your requirements.

R&D and Innovation

Our BALTEK® products have the strongest track record of innovation in balsa core materials:

  • Patent on production of flexible panels
  • Genetic research to optimize quality, yield and density of balsa trees
  • BALTEK® SBC: Plantation controlled structural balsa for infusion
  • BALTEK® VBC: Veneer based core with oriented veneer layers - a customized premium core material
  • BALTEK® SBC.80: New weight optimized density grade with average sheet density of 132 kg/m3

Quality and Production

BALTEK® balsa is produced in lean and automated processes using state-of-the-art quality management systems:

  • Highly industrialized BALTEK® production
  • BALTEK® paperless quality certificates
  • Online data access via a certificate website
  • QR code for fast readability during material inspection processes
  • Broad range of industry certificates

Properties

  • Extremely low specific weight
  • High mechanical strength and stiffness
  • Reduced use of raw materials
  • Excellent fatigue resistance
  • High impact resistance
  • Excellent moisture resistance
  • Operating temperature from -212 °C to +163 °C
  • Good chemical resistance
  • Compatibility with all types of resins and adhesives
  • Excellent sound absorption and thermal insulation

Applications

  • Marine
  • Renewable Energy
  • Transportation: Automotive / Rail
  • Aerospace
  • Building & Construction
  • Industrial

Processing

  • Vacuum infusion
  • Hand lamination / spray lay-up
  • Prepreg processing (up to 180 °C)
  • Resin injection (RTM)
  • Adhesive bonding
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References

Renewable energy | Wind Turbine Blade OEM, Brazil - AIREX® T92 SealX

Renewable energy | Wind Turbine Blade OEM, Brazil - AIREX® T92 SealX

Marine | IBBI, USA - AIREX® T92, BALTEK® SB, BALTEK® SBC

Marine | IBBI, USA - AIREX® T92, BALTEK® SB, BALTEK® SBC

Automotive | General Motors, USA - BALTEK® SBC

Automotive | General Motors, USA - BALTEK® SBC

Rail | Stadler Rail Group, Switzerland - AIREX® T90

Rail | Stadler Rail Group, Switzerland - AIREX® T90

Aerospace | European Aerospace OEM, Germany - AIREX® R82

Aerospace | European Aerospace OEM, Germany - AIREX® R82

Building & Construction | Lightweight Structures BV, Netherlands - BALTEK® SB

Building & Construction | Lightweight Structures BV, Netherlands - BALTEK® SB

Industry | Corrosion Companies Inc., USA - BALTEK® SB

Industry | Corrosion Companies Inc., USA - BALTEK® SB

Renewable energy | Wind Turbine Blade OEM, Brazil - AIREX® T92 SealX

Renewable energy | Wind Turbine Blade OEM, Brazil - AIREX® T92 SealX

AIREX® T92 SealX – Structural and Sustainable


Application

  • Shear web and shell infusion with AIREX® T92 SealX for production of 6,500kg wind turbine blades

Processing

  • Vacuum infusion

Benefits

  • Total cost of ownership:
    • Total resin saving over 3%
    • Total weight saving 1%
    • Excellent fatigue strength
    • Consistently high product quality
  • Global availability
  • Recyclable product
Marine | IBBI, USA - AIREX® T92, BALTEK® SB, BALTEK® SBC

Marine | IBBI, USA - AIREX® T92, BALTEK® SB, BALTEK® SBC

AIREX® T92 – Structural and Sustainable
BALTEK® SB – Select Grade Structural Balsa
BALTEK® SBC – FSC
Plantation controlled structural Balsa for Infusion


Application

  • AIREX® T92, BALTEK® SB, BALTEK® SBC series for different boats

Benefits

  • Excellent product quality
  • Outstanding fatigue resistance properties
  • Environmentally friendly products
  • Support and in-house testing by 3A Composites Core Materials
  • Global availability
Automotive | General Motors, USA - BALTEK® SBC

Automotive | General Motors, USA - BALTEK® SBC

BALTEK® SBC – FSC Plantation controlled structural Balsa for Infusion


Application

  • Floor panels and trunk floor of Cadillac XLR sandwiched with BALTEK® SB.100

Processing

  • Compression molding

Benefits

  • Weight saving
  • Improved part performance (stiffness, noise reduction, vibration damping)
  • Increased productivity and cost efficiency
Rail | Stadler Rail Group, Switzerland - AIREX® T90

Rail | Stadler Rail Group, Switzerland - AIREX® T90

AIREX® T90 – Economic and Fire Retardant


Application

  • Front end and floors of ‘KISS‘ double-decker train with AIREX® T90

Processing

  • Resin infusion and adhesive bonding

Benefits

  • Lightweight and energy saving
  • Excellent fire resistance and outstanding price / performance
  • Sustainability
Aerospace | European Aerospace OEM, Germany - AIREX® R82

Aerospace | European Aerospace OEM, Germany - AIREX® R82

AIREX® R82 – Radar Transparent with Fire and High Temperature Performance


Application

  • European Aerospace OEM, Germany Interior panels of new passenger jets with AIREX® R82.60

Processing

  • Bonding

Benefits

  • Thermal and acoustic insulation
  • Low weight
  • Cost effective construction and processing
Building & Construction | Lightweight Structures BV, Netherlands - BALTEK® SB

Building & Construction | Lightweight Structures BV, Netherlands - BALTEK® SB

BALTEK® SB – Select Grade Structural Balsa


Application

  • First composite bridge in Utrecht with BALTEK® SB.150

Processing

  • Vacuum infusion

Benefits

  • Reduced total life cycle costs
  • Unparalleled strength and stiffness of BALTEK® SB.150
Industry | Corrosion Companies Inc., USA - BALTEK® SB

Industry | Corrosion Companies Inc., USA - BALTEK® SB

BALTEK® SB – Select Grade Structural Balsa


Application

  • Tank trailers with BALTEK® SB

Processing

  • Wet lamination (filament winding)

Benefits

  • High product performance
  • Light weight substantially reduce fuel consumption and costs

Product range

BALTEK® SB

BALTEK® SB

Selected grade structural balsa

(158 - 285 kg/m3 | 9.3 - 17.8 lb/ft3)

  • - outstanding strength and stiffness to weight ratio
  • - fulfills most FST (flame, smoke, toxicity) requirements
  • - extremely wide operating temperature range
  • - excellent fatigue behavior
  • - ecological product
More
BALTEK® SBC

BALTEK® SBC

FSC Plantation Controlled Structural Balsa

(109 - 148 kg/m3 | 6.8 - 9.3 lb/ft3)

  • - grown on 3A Composites balsa wood plantations
  • - physical traceability of time to kiln (T2K)
  • - outstanding strength and stiffness to weight ratio
  • - fulfills most FST (flame, smoke, toxicity) requirements
  • - extremely wide operating temperature range
  • - excellent fatigue behavior
More
BALTEK® VBC

BALTEK® VBC

Engineered Structural Balsa

(156 kg/m3 | 9.7 lb/ft3)

  • - grown on 3A Composites balsa wood plantations
  • - tailored structural core material
  • - homogenous density distribution
  • - high damage tolerance
  • - excellent fatigue behavior
  • - extremely wide operating temperature range
  • - easy processing to minimal thickness
More

Additional information

Do you have further questions? Contact us.

If you want to find out more about our products or you need to get any further information - just reach us.

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